Mobile ad-hoc internet sharing

ABSTRACT

A method and a system for mobile ad-hoc Internet sharing. The system comprises a first portable device ( 10 ) that is provided with wireless communication capability ( 11 ) and that is enabled to identify a user A of the device ( 10 ), a second device ( 20 I; 20 II) that is provided with wireless communication capability ( 21 I; 21 II) and with capability ( 22 I; 22 II) to connect to the Internet via an ISP, and that is enabled to identify a user B responsible for the connection, and an ISP ( 30 ). The method comprises wirelessly sending information from the first device ( 10 ) to the second device ( 20 I; 20 II), for initiating a connection between the first device ( 10 ) and the ISP ( 30 ), forwarding the information from the second device ( 20 I; 20 II) to the ISP ( 30 ), identifying, at the ISP ( 30 ), that the information is sent from user B and originates from user A, and initiating, at the ISP ( 30 ), registration for charging of an account ( 36 ) of user A for said connection.

The present invention relates to a method and a system for mobile ad-hocInternet sharing.

In the near future the selection of small portable devices, startingwith Personal Digital Assistants (PDA's) and mobile phones today, willsteadily grow and include a wider range of devices each with their ownlocal storage, processing, and often limited networking functionality.These devices are not only used at home or at the office to connect todesktop PCs or other devices but also while away. A likely scenario is amodel where users carry around a multiple of single purpose informationappliances connected together in a Personal Area Network (PAN). Some ofthese devices might be without User Interface (UI), others will have aUI and the devices including UI may be used to control the deviceswithout UI. The range of capabilities will differ quite a bit amongdevices. Depending on the planned activities of the user he or she willcarry only those devices that are of particular use for that specificpurpose. Possible reasons for this differentiation in functionality arecost reduction, form-factor, battery-life etc.

Modern short range communication protocols like for instance Bluetoothand Universal Plug and Play already have the functionality to allow adevice to discover other devices in its proximity and the associatedservices being delivered by those devices. Although most devices willhave some sort of wired or wireless PAN networking technology it is notobvious that they will all include long distance connectivity like GSM,GPRS, UMTS etc. The long distance connectivity options are usually tooexpensive, in terms of both cost price and power consumption, to add toeach device. Moreover, utilizing these types of connections is not forfree, i.e there is some sort of subscription and billing schemeassociated with these connections, as opposed to PAN networkingtechnology where only the cost of the added functionality and usage,i.e. power consumtion, is an issue. Also the bandwidth is generally muchlower over mobile networks such as GSM, GPRS and UMTS than the bandwidththat is available from wireless PAN and LAN networks. Therefore someapplications, e.g. streaming video, may be impractical overGSM/GPRS/UMTS with the required quality.

Different solutions for different types of situations have beenpresented in the art for allowing connectivity to the Internet of“simple” PAN networked devices without long distance connectivity.

WO 01/56233 A1 discloses an integrated phone-based home gateway systemwhich includes a broadband communication device, an analog modem, and awireless interface which is integrated into a screen-phone for providingbroadband communication service to home users. By means of this system,multiple users are able to access the Internet. The wireless interfaceallows in-home as well as to-home networking, provides automatic dataand broadband initialization, configuration and service provisioning,routing and bridging functionality and allows resource sharing amonghome devices via the existing phone wire, wireless, coaxial or opticalcable connections.

Other ways, known in the art, to allow simple PAN networked devices in aPAN to access the Internet are to enable connectivity to wireless LANaccess points and/or 3G UMTS mobile phones by means of cheap short rangeradio link protocols like e.g. Bluetooth.

These different solutions have in common that they make it possible fora user to access the Internet with a simple PAN networked device,without needing to also carry e.g. a mobile phone with long distanceconnectivity. This common service may be called mobile ad-hoc Internetsharing service.

However, these solutions also introduces problems for users and InternetService Providers (ISPs) which provide connectivity to the users viawired or wireless long distance links. The problems relates to the factthat the solutions allow different devices, owned by different users, tounobstructedly access the Internet by piggybacking or hi-jacking aconnection via an access point registered to only one user. Thus, theservices provided by the ISP to one registered user may be utilized byseveral other unregistered users at the expense of both the registereduser and the ISP. Such “unwanted” Internet access utilization would leadto increased costs for the registered user if he e.g. owns a GPRSconnection for which the cost increases with increased data traffic. Forthe ISP, unwanted Internet access utilization may for instance lead tomissed income from fixed connection fees and may also lead touncontrollable network load.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved solutionfor provision of mobile ad-hoc Internet sharing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and asystem for mobile ad-hoc Internet sharing which allow an ISP and a userto at least indirectly prevent unwanted utilization of the Internetservices that the ISP provide.

These and other objects are achieved by means of a method as defined inclaim 1 and a system as defined in claim 10. Preferred embodiments ofthe invention are defined in the dependent claims.

More particularly, according to one aspect of the invention, a method ina system for mobile ad-hoc Internet sharing comprising:

a first portable device that is provided with wireless communicationcapability and that is enabled to identify a user A of the portabledevice,

a second device that is provided with wireless communication capabilityand with capability to connect to the Internet via an Internet ServiceProvider (ISP), and that is enabled to identify a user B responsible forthe connection,

an ISP at which at least user B is a registered user, comprises thefollowing acts:

wirelessly sending information from the first portable device to thesecond device, for initiating a connection between the first portabledevice and the ISP,

forwarding the information from the second device to the ISP,

identifying, at the ISP, that the information is sent from user B andoriginates from user A, and

initiating, at the ISP, registration for charging of an account of userA for said connection.

In the context of this application, wireless communication capabilitymeans capability to communicate wirelessly with other devices. Thewireless communication capability may be implemented by means of somecommon protocol for wireless short range communication, wherein “shortrange” means e.g. up to 100 m. Common protocols for such wireless shortrange communication are, for example, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, Zigbee,HomeRF, HomeCast etc.

An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is herein defined as any organizationthat provides access to the Internet. Hence, the concept of ISP isherein not restricted to ISPs solely providing Internet access to endusers and to other organizations, but also includes e.g. companiesproviding Internet access to their employees and also mobile phonenetwork providers who also provide Internet access to their customers.

“The Internet” should here be interpreted as either the global Internet,or a Wide Area Network (WAN) which, even if it is rather unusual, may beisolated from the global Internet.

A “connection” should here be interpreted as something that enablescommunication between two devices. The connection may for example be inthe form of a dedicated connection, a packet based connection,tunnelling through the Internet, etc.

According to the present invention, users (A) who do not have access oftheir “own” to the Internet, i.e. users who do not carry any devices bymeans of which they may access the Internet directly, may access theInternet via another user (B) who has a direct link to an ISP or is ableto establish such a connection. Since, according to the invention, theISP identifies such an “indirect” user A, the ISP may charge the user Afor utilizing the Internet access via the equipment of the other user B.

Hence, the ISP and the user B may by means of the present inventionprevent unwanted Internet access sharing, and, further, the ISP mayobtain increased income from more users while at the same time the costsfor those users who share their Internet access may decrease. Theinvention thus allows users to provide Internet access to other users ina controlled way, with proper billing fair to all parties involved.

According to the invention, the user B itself does not necessarily needto be personally involved in the connection between the user A and theISP, e.g. by manually entering an identification code whenever a user Awants to connect via user B. Instead, user B may be automaticallyidentified to the ISP via an account of user B.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method furthercomprises,

initiating, at the ISP, registration for depositing on an account ofuser B for said connection.

According to this embodiment of the invention, user B may be refunded orin other way paid for sharing his access with other users. This payingis particularly advantageous not only for users who share their Internetaccess with others, but also for the ISP which thereby may furthermotivate users to utilize this inventive sharing service instead ofallowing other users to utilize their Internet access for free. Anotherbeneficial consequence of this embodiment is that the user B even mayreceive net earnings from the ISP in case he provides more connectivityto other users than he uses himself.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the methodfurther comprises,

establishing said connection between said first portable device and saidISP via said second device, and

registering, at said ISP, data relating to utilization of saidconnection on said account of user A for said charging.

According to this embodiment, the ISP keeps track of the utilization ofthe connection and may thereby charge user A an amount that is relatedto the use/time of the connection from user A to the ISP via the deviceof user B.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the method furthercomprises,

registering, at said ISP, data relating to utilization of saidconnection on said account of user B for said depositing.

According to this embodiment, the ISP may further pay user B, who shareshis Internet access with user A, an amount that is related to theuse/time of the connection from user A to the ISP via the device of userB.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the method furthercomprises, said ISP,

charging said user A for said connection, and

paying said user B for said connection.

According to another embodiment, user A is registered at said ISP. Thismay give the ISP better control over those who utilize its services.

Alternatively, the user A is a registered user at another ISP. That maygive the ISP a larger circle of customers.

In another embodiment of the present invention, said user A is chargedby said ISP via a mobile phone subscription of user A. This isadvantageous since the user A trusts the mobile phone operator and sothe mobile phone operator is effectively acting as a guarantor that theuser A will be charged correctly for his or her utilization of theservices of the ISP. In this case, the mobile phone operator is eithersaid ISP or another organization which cooperates with said ISP.

In another embodiment of the invention, said act of identifying, at theISP, that the information sent from the first portable device via thesecond device originates from a device controlled by user A, comprisesthe act of receiving identification information from the first portabledevice, said identification information being provided by a smart cardof user A.

This embodiment enables advanced and secure identification of the userA, and eliminates the need for user A to carry around long distanceconnection functionality in order to identify himself for the ISP.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, communication between saidfirst portable device and said ISP during said connection is encrypted.Thereby, the information communicated between the user A and the ISP maybe completely hidden for the device of user B, i.e. user B may noteasily interpret information being sent between user A and the ISP.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a communicationsystem for mobile ad-hoc Internet sharing comprises:

a first portable device that is provided with wireless communicationcapability and that comprises means for identifying a user A of theportable device,

a second device that is provided with wireless communication capabilitycomprising means to wirelessly receive information from said firstportable device, and with capability to connect to the Internet via anInternet Service Provider (ISP), said second device further comprisingmeans for identifying a user B responsible for the connection, and meansfor forwarding said information from said first portable device, and

an ISP at which at least user B is a registered user and has an accountfor registering utilization of said access to the Internet, said ISPcomprising

a receiver being arranged to receive said information being forwarded bysaid second device,

an identification means being arranged to identify that said informationoriginates from user A,

a connection means for establishing a connection between said firstportable device and the ISP via said second device, and

a register for registering charging of an account of user A for saidconnection.

As mentioned above, the ISP and the user B may by means of the presentinvention prevent unwanted Internet access sharing while at the sametime the ISP may obtain increased income and user B may save money.

In one embodiment of the invention, said ISP further comprises aregister for registering depositing on said account of user B for saidconnection.

As mentioned above, user B may according to this embodiment also obtainnet earnings and may thereby be further motivated to utilize thisinventive sharing service.

In one embodiment of the invention, said means, of said first portabledevice, for identifying said user A comprises a smart card beingarranged to provide identification information for enabling saididentification means of said ISP to identify that the informationoriginates from user A. As mentioned above, this enables advanced andsecure identification of the user A and eliminates the need for user Ato carry around long distance connection functionality in order toidentify himself to the ISP.

In another embodiment of the invention, said first portable device andsaid ISP comprises means to encrypt communication between the firstportable device and the ISP via said second device during saidconnection. Thereby, as mentioned above, the information communicatedbetween the user A and the ISP may be completely hidden for the deviceof user B.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from andelucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

The present invention will now be described in more detail withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 schematically shows one embodiment of a communication systemaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 schematically shows another embodiment of a communication systemaccording to the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a method according tothe invention.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a communication system according to theinvention for mobile ad-hoc Internet sharing. The system comprises oneor several first portable devices 10, possibly arranged for use in aPersonal Area Network (PAN) and controlled by one or several users A, asecond device, here in the form of a mobile phone 20I controlled byanother user B, and an Internet Service Provider (ISP) 30 providingaccess to Internet 300.

The first portable device 10 is provided with wireless communicationcapability 11 and includes means for identifying a user A of theportable device 10. The first portable device 10 may further includemeans (not shown) to encrypt information being sent to or received fromthe ISP 30 via the second device.

The first portable device 10 may be any type of portable electronicdevice, like for example a notebook computer, a Personal DigitalAssistant (PDA), a digital camera, an MP3/MD/DVD player, or even amobile phone.

The wireless communication capability 11 of the first portable device 10may be achieved by means of some known technology for short rangecommunication, such as 802.11, HomeRF, HomeCast, Bluetooth, Zigbee,etc., e.g. in combination with some higher level protocol such asUniversal Plug and Play. These technologies are advantageous incomparison to technologies for long distance communication, like GSM,GPRS or UMTS, in that they are cheaper to implement and in that theyusually don't consume as much battery energy. Further, no subscriptionfees are associated with these technologies.

The means for identifying the user A includes a smart card 12 which isarranged to provide identification information for enablingidentification at the ISP 30. The smart card 12 may e.g. be a SIM-cardwhich is commonly used in today's mobile phones, often in combinationwith entry of a pin code. However, the first portable device 10 must notnecessarily include a smart card 12. Other known procedures ofidentifying user A to the ISP 30, like e.g. entry of an identificationcode plus a password, may be used as well.

The second device, just like the first portable device 10, is providedwith wireless communication capability 21I by means of which it is ableto communicate with the first portable device 10.

The second device is also provided with capability to connect to theInternet via the ISP 30, and with means for identifying a user Bresponsible for the connection. This user B is a registered user at theISP 30 and has an account there for registering utilization of theaccess to the Internet.

Further, the second device is provided with means for long distancewireless connectivity, here in the form of a GSM (Global Service Mobile)unit 22I of the mobile phone 20I, for forwarding information being sentfrom the first portable device 10 to the ISP 30 and vice versa. Otherknown possible options for long distance wireless connectivity are GPRS(General Packet Radio Standard) and UMTS (Universal Mobile TelephonySystem).

Additionally, in the second device, or somewhere else in the network,e.g. at the ISP, a list (not shown) of trusted devices may be stored.The trusted devices are devices that are trusted by the second deviceand that the subscriber of the inventive service, i.e. user B, allows toutilize the access to the network. For instance a Bluetooth enabledMP3-player (as the first device) can connect to a Bluetooth enabledmobile phone (the second device) in order to set up a connection fromthe MP3-player to the ISP.

The ISP 30 comprises a transceiver, here in the form of a base station31L which is arranged to receive information which is sent or forwardedby the second device or send information to the second device forforwarding to the first device.

The ISP 30 also comprises an identification means 32 which is arrangedto identify that information being sent from the first portable device10, at least during the initiating procedure, via the second deviceoriginates from the user A.

The ISP 30 further comprises a connection means 33 for establishing aconnection between the first portable device 10 and the ISP 30 via thesecond device, and may also comprise means 34 to encrypt communicationintended for the first portable device 10.

Moreover, the ISP 30 comprises a register 35 for registering charging ofan account 36 of user A and depositing on an account 37 of user B forthe utilization of a connection between the first portable device 10 andthe ISP 30 via the second device.

As defined earlier, the ISP may be any organization that provides accessto the Internet, including companies providing Internet access to theiremployees and mobile phone network providers who also provide Internetaccess to their customers.

In an alternative embodiment, where the second device is a mobile phonewhich connects to an ISP, the information needed for the ISP to identifyuser B may be stored in the network of a mobile phone network providerwhich is an organization separated from the ISP. The ISP then has aconnection to the mobile phone network to perform the identification andpossible authentication.

FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of a system according to theinvention. Actually, all that is mentioned above about the embodimentshown in FIG. 1 counts for the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, except thatthe second device in this embodiment is not a mobile phone,communicating via a GSM, GPRS or UMTS network, but is instead astationary base station 20II for WLAN, Bluetooth or some other type ofwireless network, which base station 20II has a high-speed wiredconnection, like broadband, cable-modem or ADSL, or some other type ofwired connection, to a receiver 31II at the ISP via for example apersonal computer or a server at the home or the office of user B.

In FIG. 3, a flow chart illustrating the steps of an embodiment of amethod according to the invention is shown.

In step 1, the user A sends information wirelessly from his firstportable device 10 to the second device 20I or 20II of user B, which thefirst portable device 10 may have found by means of a discoverymechanism of a communication method used. The information is sent inorder to initiate the establishment of a connection between the firstportable device 10 and the ISP 30 via the second device 20I or 20II ofuser B. The information includes identification, or authentication,information for identifying user A to the ISP. This identificationinformation may, as mentioned above, either be provided by means of asmart card or by means of user A entering an identification code and apassword. The information may then be encrypted, by means of e.g. anencryption key stored in the first portable device 10, so that neitheruser B or anyone else in the communication path may easily interpret theinformation being sent to the ISP 30.

In step 2, this initiation information received by the second device 20Ior 20II may first be checked against the list of trusted devices inorder to determine whether the first portable device 10 is a trusteddevice. If it is, the initiation information is supplemented withinformation identifying user B to the ISP 30, and then automaticallyforwarded from the second device 20I or 20II of user B to the ISP 30 viaa long distance connection between the second device and the ISP.

In step 3, the ISP 30 identifies that the received initiationinformation is sent from user B and originates from user A. If theinformation sent from user A is encrypted, the ISP 30 first identifiesuser B by means of the identification information added by the seconddevice, then identifies user A by means of the information identifyinguser A, and thereafter decrypts the encrypted information being sentfrom user A by means of e.g. a decryption key.

In step 4, the ISP 30 initiates registration for charging of an accountof user A for the connection to be established between the firstportable device 10 of user A and the ISP 30 via the second device 20I or20II of user B. Further in step 4, the ISP initiates registration fordepositing on an account of user B for the same connection.

In step 5, the connection is established between the first portabledevice 10 of user A and the ISP 30 via the second device 20I or 20II ofuser B. As mentioned earlier, the connection may be in the form of adedicated connection or in the form of a packed based connection, wherepackets for example may be sent thorough a tunnel between the firstportable device 10 and the ISP 30. User A may then by means of thisconnection access the Internet. Data sent between the first portabledevice 10 and the ISP 30 via the second device 20I or 20II during theconnection may just like the initiation information be encrypted, inboth directions.

In step 6, during the established connection, the ISP 30 registers datarelating to utilization of the connection on the account of user A forcharging, and registers corresponding data on the account of user B fordepositing.

In step 7, after the connection is closed, the ISP 30 charges user A forthe utilization of the connection and pays user B for the sameutilization.

The charging of user A may be made through a mobile phone subscriptionof user A. As mentioned earlier, this is advantageous because user Atrusts the mobile phone operator. This mobile phone operator may be thesame organization as the ISP, or alternatively some other organizationwhich cooperates with the ISP.

The paying of user B may also be made through a mobile phonesubscription, which would be quite natural if the second device of userB is the mobile phone 20I. The paying of user B may either be in theform of refunding or direct paying for the amount of time, data trafficand/or bandwidth user B shares with other users, or in the form ofdiscount on the price user B pays for his or her own utilization of theInternet access provided by the ISP.

As mentioned earlier, the present invention provides a lot of advantagesfor both end-users and ISPs. The end-users may with his portable device,by means of the invention, access the Internet with all third partyservices, or his own home network, without necessarily needing a longdistance dial-up networking function in the device. Other users, whocarry mobile phones with connectivity to the Internet, or who carry onbusinesses like hotels, cafes etc., may get incomes from sharing theirInternet access to the public.

Another benefit with the invention is that if a user carries for examplea notebook computer and a digital camera, but no mobile phone for longdistance connection to the Internet, he may use one smart card in orderto connect both the notebook computer and the digital camera to an ISPvia the device of another user.

This mobile ad-hoc Internet sharing service which the present inventionprovides may be provided by mobile network operators and other ISPs toany owner of an Internet access network.

It is to be understood that modifications of the above described systemsand methods can be made by people skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, more advancedad-hoc networking with intermediate hops or routing points may beenvisioned as well, without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

1. A method in a system for mobile ad-hoc Internet sharing comprising: afirst portable device that is provided with wireless communicationcapability and that is enabled to identify a user A of the portabledevice, a second device that is provided with wireless communicationcapability and with capability to connect to the Internet via anInternet Service Provider, and that is enabled to identify a user Bresponsible for the connection, an ISP at which at least user B is aregistered user, the method comprising wirelessly sending informationfrom the first portable device to the second device, for initiating aconnection between the first portable device and the ISP, forwarding theinformation from the second device to the ISP, identifying, at the ISP,that the information is sent from user B and originates from user A, andinitiating, at the ISP, registration for charging of an account of userA for said connection.
 2. A method according to claim 1, furthercomprising, initiating, at the ISP, registration for depositing on anaccount of user B for said connection.
 3. A method according to claim 1,further comprising, establishing said connection between said firstportable device and said ISP via said second device, and registering, atsaid ISP, data relating to utilization of said connection on saidaccount of user A for said charging.
 4. A method according to claim 2,further comprising registering, at said ISP, data relating toutilization of said connection on said account of user B for saiddepositing.
 5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, saidISP, charging said user A for said connection, and paying said user Bfor said connection.
 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein user A isregistered at said ISP.
 7. A method according to claim 1, wherein saiduser A is charged by said ISP via a mobile phone subscription of user A.8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said act of identifying, atthe ISP, that the information sent from the first portable device viathe second device originates from a device controlled by user A,comprises the act of receiving identification information from the firstportable device, said identification information being provided by asmart card of user A.
 9. A method according to claim 1, whereincommunication between said first portable device and said ISP duringsaid connection is encrypted.
 10. A communication system for mobilead-hoc Internet sharing, comprising: a first portable device that isprovided with wireless communication capability and that comprises meansfor identifying a user A of the portable device, a second device that isprovided with wireless communication capability comprising means towirelessly receive information from said first portable device, and withcapability to connect to the Internet via an Internet Service Provider,said second device further comprising means for identifying a user Bresponsible for the connection, and means for forwarding saidinformation from said first portable device, and an ISP at which atleast user B is a registered user and has an account for registeringutilization of said access to the Internet, said ISP comprising areceiver being arranged to receive said information being forwarded bysaid second device, an identification means being arranged to identifythat said information originates from user A, a connection means forestablishing a connection between said first portable device and the ISPvia said second device, and a register for registering charging of anaccount of user A for said connection.
 11. A communication systemaccording to claim 10, further comprising a register for registeringdepositing on said account of user B for said connection.
 12. Acommunication system according to claim 10, wherein said means, of saidfirst portable device, for identifying said user A comprises a smartcard being arranged to provide identification information for enablingsaid identification means of said ISP to identify that the informationoriginates from user A.
 13. A communication system according to claim10, wherein said first portable device and said ISP comprises means toencrypt communication between the first portable device and the ISP viasaid second device during said connection.